The Violin Doctor
He’s trusted to repair some of the world’s most fabled — and expensive — instruments. How does John Becker manage to unlock the sound of a Stradivarius?
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Steve James
The documentarian, 68, on his deeper motive for Hoop Dreams and how he puts subjects at ease.
Following Steve Goodman’s Morning Train to Mattoon
Ride the rails that inspired the folk singer’s City of New Orleans… even if the train doesn’t take you that far south.
Five Things: Seeking Justice for Emmett Till
The new book A Few Days Full of Trouble details the long struggle of the Chicago teenager’s family to get legal accountability for his brutal murder. Here’s what we learned.
Bless the Beasts
Martha Nussbaum argues that making life better for animals makes life better for us, too.
So Hard to Say Goodbye: The Oral History of Cooley High
The cast and crew of the 1975 Black cinema classic reminisce about making one of the greatest Chicago films of all time.
Go: January Agenda
Top 10 reasons to fill up your calendar this month
Andrew Bird’s Gezelligheid Returns to Chicago
The cozy holiday tradition is revived after a pandemic hiatus.
Stable Relationship
Jerry Springer’s “I Married a Horse” episode promised to be an outrageous bit of television — and the author’s big break. It didn’t go as planned.
Phil Ponce
The former Chicago Tonight host, 73, on growing up poor, quitting acting, and dealing with anxiety